We were lucky to catch up with Preeti Agrawal recently and have shared our conversation below.

Preeti, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Oh yes — absolutely! There’s truly no place I’d rather be and no job I’d rather do than painting and crafting. I’ve built a little rhythm into my days: I start my “workday” at 9 a.m. — just like anyone going to an office for a regular job. I even get dressed up for it, with a touch of makeup, because I believe you have to feel good to create something beautiful.
From that moment until lunchtime, I lose myself completely in my art room. Time disappears — it’s just me, my brushes, and the quiet joy of creating. And when I finally step back, I feel so energized and fulfilled that it hardly feels like I’ve been “working” at all. It’s the kind of job that feeds your soul instead of draining it — and honestly, that’s a rare and beautiful thing to find.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Art has been a key part of my life for as long as I can remember. Though I never pursued it formally in college, creativity was always my quiet companion — from doodling in the margins of my school notebooks to stitching little pieces of fabric together just to see what they might become. Making things with my hands always grounded me. It was my way of slowing down and connecting with myself.

For years, art was something I returned to in private moments — a form of “me time” that I didn’t realize was slowly shaping into a passion. Then, around 2019–2020, something shifted. I picked up a brush again after a long pause, and it felt like coming home. What began as a few small experiments turned into an ever-growing journey of self-expression. During that same time, I launched a craft blog focused on DIY projects — a joyful space where I’ve shared more than a hundred tutorials to inspire others to create, reuse, and find beauty in the simple act of making.

Today, my paintings move between two very different yet deeply personal styles: realistic portraits of old doors, and the ancient Indian folk art form of Madhubani. One is quiet and contemplative, steeped in texture and memory; the other is vibrant, rhythmic, and full of storytelling. Depending on my mood, I flow between the two, letting each reflect a different part of me.

What sets my work apart, I believe, is the emotion behind it — the thought, the connection, and the joy that seep into every brushstroke. I want my paintings to feel alive, to carry the same spark that I feel while creating them. When someone looks at my work and pauses — even for a moment — to feel something intangible yet real, that’s when I know I’ve succeeded.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a creative is the deep, inner joy that comes from watching something come alive where there was once nothing. Brushstroke by brushstroke, a plain sheet of paper begins to breathe — colors blend, shapes emerge, and suddenly there’s a pulse, a story, a presence. Every single time I step back and see the piece from a distance, I still get goosebumps. It’s as if the artwork has found its own voice and is speaking back to me. That moment is pure magic. It’s why I paint, and it’s how I know the work is truly complete.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think what some people might find hard to understand is that creating art is so much more than just the hours spent painting. There’s a whole inner process that happens before the first stroke even begins — the time it takes to connect with the subject, to sense its story, emotion, and energy. When someone commissions a piece, I don’t just think about what I’m painting, but why and how it speaks to me. That connection can take almost as much time as the painting itself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preetishandmades
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/preetishandmades

Image Credits

Sadie, JC Penny Portraits, Barton Creek Mall